Former Broncos Quarterback and now Executive Vice President of Football Operations/General Manager John Elway kisses Pat Bowlen’s wife Annabel Bowlen during the halftime ceremony honoring Pat Bowlen. (Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post)

Annabel Bowlen and members of the 1997 Denver Broncos were on hand Sunday for owner Pat Bowlen’s induction into the Broncos Ring of Fame. Here’s some of what they said:

ANNABEL BOWLEN, WIFE OF BRONCOS OWNER PAT BOWLEN

On Owner Pat Bowlen being inducted into the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame

“Good evening. Thank you, Broncos Country. I am so humbled to accept this honor for my husband, Pat, as we celebrate everything he means to the Denver Broncos and the NFL. To Pat, it’s always been about his players, his coaches and the best fans in the NFL. Now that he’s in the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame, I think we can all agree that Pat’s next stop should be the Pro Football Hall of Fame. On behalf of my entire family, I would like to say thank you for all your support. Go Broncos!”Read more…

A week after Ted Wells’ report on the New England Patriots found that team personnel and quarterback Tom Brady were “probably” aware of the team’s use of deflated footballs in the AFC Championship Game against the Colts, the NFL suspended Brady four games without pay, fined the team $1 million and stripped it of its 2016 first-round draft pick and 2017 fourth-round pick.

The Patriots will be without Brady, who has three days to appeal his suspension, against Pittsburgh, at Buffalo, at home against Jacksonville and at Dallas. Ironically enough, his first game back will be at Indianapolis, on Oct. 18. Five weeks later, the Patriots will play the Broncos in a primetime matchup at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

The $1 million fine for the Patriots is the largest in league history; the Broncos set the record in 1998, and then again in 2001 and 2004, for salary cap violations.

On Monday, after the NFL announced the punishment (full statement below), players past and present, media members and fans took to social media to weigh in. Some of the many reactions:

Gary Kubiak was formally introduced as the Broncos’ head coach Tuesday. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

Minutes removed from signing his four-year pact with the Broncos, Gary Kubiak on Tuesday spoke for the first time as the team’s new head coach. With a handful of Broncos players sitting in the front row, he told a room packed with reporters, friends and family, and team personnel that he “was home.”

“I’m just so proud to be back in the Bronco Nation,” he said. “It’s been a big part of my life, and I’m looking forward to being part of it again.”

Brandon McManus, Virgil Green, Shaquil Barrett, Brandon Marshall and Ben Garland sat front row to hear their new coach speak. Afterward, they — and countless others over the last few days — took to social media to share their thoughts on Kubiak and the Broncos’ new coaching staff.

Former Broncos running back great Terrell Davis may not be a Hall of Famer. But he just extended a streak that is worthy of Hall of Fame attention.

Davis has been eligible for Pro Football Hall of Fame election since 2007. All nine years he has come up for vote, he has made the cut to the 25 modern-era semifinalists (there are 26 this year because there was a two-way tie for 25th).

Here’s the preposterous aspect to Davis’ streak: He has never advanced from the semifinal 25 to the final 15. Eight straight years he’s among the top 25. Eight straight years he’s among the 10 players cut before the final 15.

Enough! T.D. cannot go nine years in a row without “getting in the room,” for discussion. The “room” is where the 46 Hall of Fame voters gather to discuss the 15 finalists on the eve of the Super Bowl.

I understand the concern regarding Davis’ longevity issue. But once the voters learn, or are reminded of, his incredible postseason record, he’ll have a shot to join John Elway, Gary Zimmerman, Floyd Little and Shannon Sharpe as the only Broncos in the Hall of Fame.

In eight postseason games, from 1996-98, Davis rushed for 1,140 yards — 142.5 yards per game. He gained 91 yards in his first playoff game, then had seven consecutive 100-yard games.

Any running back who can average 142.5 yards per postseason should have his bust bronzed in Canton. At the very least, he should be a top 15 finalist once every nine times.

Fans arrive for the NFL Super Bowl XLVIII football game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos at MetLife Stadium Sunday, Feb. 2, 2014, in East Rutherford, N.J. (Seth Wenig, The Associated Press)

Good afternoon, Broncos fans. IT WAS 5,481 FULL DAYS AGOthat the Denver Broncos were last here at this moment. We’re inside Metlife Stadium, where we bring you a special Super Bowl edition of the Broncos Insider Newsletter:

IN PRINT: SUPER BOWL SPECIAL SECTION: “WITHIN REACH: Peyton Manning has put together a season for the ages, shattering records in leading the highest scoring offense in NFL history. A victory Sunday in the Super Bowl can forever cement his legacy among the all-time greats.” SEE THE PAGE: http://dpo.st/1k0W2Ts

Denver Post Sunday 1A: CHAMP IN WAITING: “They call him Champ. The Broncos cornerback exudes all of the virtues of what fans desire in a champion,” writes The Denver Post’s Benjamin Hochman. “He’s cool by not acting cool. He has this aura around him, but not because he’s a self-proclaimed stud. It’s because he’s revered in football circles. It’s because he speaks softly, yet with resonance. It’s because he’s actually so humble, it’s hard to believe that someone with his talent isn’t shouting about it.

The front page of the Sunday, Dec. 2, 2014, edition of The Denver Post.

“Really, the only problem with the nickname Champ is that he’s not a champ. But, after 15 seasons in the NFL, this sure Pro Football Hall of Famer finally will play in the Super Bowl.

XLVIII (48) REASONS THE BRONCOS WILL WIN, according to Denver Post columnist Woody Paige. Among them: “V. The Broncos were penalized 183 fewer yards than Seattle in the regular season. … X. Adam Gase is creatively superior to Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell. Jack Del Rio has won a Super Bowl as a coach; Seattle defensive coordinator Dan Quinn hasn’t coached in one. … XXI. The Seahawks averaged only 23 points a game away from Seattle; the Broncos averaged 36.2 points in road games. … XL. With more than seven days to prepare, the Broncos are 6-0 this season.” Plus, Woody’s score prediction: http://dpo.st/LnfI4E

“THIS IS WHY FOOTBALL PLAYERS CRY. The Broncos arrived at the Super Bowl as a family: 53 players, one goal,” writes Denver Post columnist Mark Kiszla … win or lose, when Super Bowl XLVIII is done, this family will break up. This is one last chance for this specific group of Broncos to hoist the Lombardi Trophy and grab a little piece of football immortality. […]

“The significance of my Super Bowl rings is what those rings stand for. They stand for guys putting aside their egos and their personal agendas long enough to win a championship,” said Byron Chamberlain, who won two championships during his stint from 1995-2000 as a tight end for Denver. “The most important thing for a championship team is to get all the guys to buy into one common goal of winning the Super Bowl. It’s hard to do. That’s why winning a Super Bowl is so rare.”

GAME DAY FORECAST: Sunday for East Rutherford, N.J., site of MetLife Stadium … A slight chance of showers after 11 a.m. Patchy fog before 8 a.m. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 48. West wind 3 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent, according to the National Weather Service. … Sunday night: A slight chance of rain before 10 p.m., then a slight chance of rain and sleet between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m., then a chance of rain and snow after 1 a.m. Cloudy, with a low around 31. North wind 5 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent: http://1.usa.gov/1eIieKB … Per The Weather Channel, 6 p.m. will be cloud, temperature at 43 degrees (feels like 40), 20 percent chance of precipitiation, winds WNW at 5 mph.

The NFL announced a new class of Hall of Famers on Sunday, and once again, former Broncos running back and Super Bowl XXXIII MVP Terrell Davis won’t be joining them.

Despite having an eight-year career that included essentially every other award and recognition a running back can achieve, Davis continues to be shut out of the Hall, ostensibly due to his smaller total body of work. Former teammate and Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe joined Woody Paige on Friday to discuss Davis’ snub and explain why in his mind, Davis should join him in Canton, Ohio.

“If you look at what he did in the biggest games, in the playoffs, he never had an off game,” Sharpe said. “Even the game we lost to Jacksonville at home (in 1997), he had 91 yards on 14 carries. From that point on, (head coach) Mike (Shanahan) realized in order for us to win Super Bowls, we had to give him the ball.”

I spoke to Shannon Sharpe Tuesday afternoon, fresh on the heels of Peyton Manning’s 32-of-37 night against the Raiders. The former Broncos’ tight end — who played with John Elway for much of his career — said he thinks Manning will go down as one of the top five quarterbacks of all time when he retires.

When asked whether he’s at all surprised by what Manning has done for the Broncos after everything the quarterback went through, Sharpe was resolute.

While Peyton Manning, nattily attired in his new Broncos’ togs, will likely grace the cover of plenty of sports sections and magazines all over the football nation in the coming weeks and months, the Broncos gave former wide receiver Rod Smith the nod on the latest edition of their media guide.

Smith, who will be formally enshrined in the Broncos’ Ring of Fame Sept. 23, graces the cover of this year’s offering on a backdrop of an orange jersey. The team is also making the move back to orange jerseys this season as its primary option for home games.

Clinton Portis celebrates with a world heavyweight belt given to him by Shannon Sharpe after Portis scored five of the team's six TDs against the Chiefs on Dec. 7, 2003.

When Peyton Manning signs with Denver, he will immediately became the most significant free-agent catch in Broncos history. Here are the 10 biggest personnel moves in Broncos history prior to landing Manning.

1. Trade: In 1983, the Broncos changed the course of the team’s history when they sent guard Chris Hinton, quarterback Mark Herrmann and a first-round pick in the 1984 draft to the Colts for the rights to Stanford quarterback John Elway. The Colts eventually used that ’84 pick on guard Ron Solt, who played nine seasons in the league, a nice career. But three nice careers do not add up to one all-time great and two Super Bowl titles.

Former Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe became the third Broncos players in four years to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame when he received his bronze bust on Aug. 6 in Canton, Ohio.

It’s only right they save some of the celebration for the home team’s crowd. The Broncos will present Sharpe with his Hall of Fame ring Sunday during halftime of the Broncos’ game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

Canton, Ohio — Shannon Sharpe received his Gold Jacket here Saturday at the downtown Civic Center, a symbolic step towards his formal induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame tomorrow night.

It was his brother Sterling, who played seven seasons for the Green Bay Packers, who helped Shannon get into his new sports coat. Sterling became emotional as the tears welled. Clasping his hands together in prayer, Sterling looked up to the heavens to give thanks. Shannan and Sterling then about shook the auditorium with a powerful embrace. Somewhere, Grandma Mary must have been smiling.

It was Mary Porter who raised her Sharpe grandchildren in Tison, Ga., a rural town about 8 miles outside Glennville. Grandma Mary died July 6, one month to the day that Sharpe will formally receive his bronze bust.

Banners featuring the Class of 2011 hang outside of Fawcett Stadium adjacent to the football museum at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Joe Horrigan is ready to take your questions about the Hall and pro football history.

For many NFL fans, traveling to Canton, Ohio is nothing less than a pilgrimage. The shrine is the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Perhaps no one knows the place better than Joe Horrigan, the Hall of Fame’s vice president of communications and exhibits.

Horrigan is the official PR voice the Hall of Fame, but he’s much more than a spokesman. The author of several books, he’s widely regarded as one football’s foremost historians.

Prior to his current job, he was the Hall’s curator for 19 years.

With Broncos great Shannon Sharpe scheduled for induction on Aug. 6, I thought now we be a perfect time to invite Horrigan to participate in The Denver Post’s “Fan Mail” feature.

Former Broncos tight end and soon-to-be Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe visits his grandmother, Mary Porter, last month in Georgia.

Mary Porter, the beloved grandmother of Shannon Sharpe, died Wednesday night, exactly one month before the former Broncos tight end is to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Ms. Porter was 89. Although Ms. Porter raised nine of her children outside the small town of Glennville, Ga., she also took in her daughter’s three children — Libby, Sterling and Shannon Sharpe — from the time Shannon was 3 months old.

Ms. Porter had suffered from diabetes and had been in failing health in recent years, a primary reason why Sharpe had hoped that if he were elected into the Hall of Fame, it would have come in the first year he was eligible in 2009. He was elected on his third try.

Nicki Jhabvala is a Broncos beat writer for The Denver Post. She was previously the digital news editor for sports. Before arriving in Denver, she spent five years at Sports Illustrated working primarily as its online NBA editor. She also spent two years as a home page editor at the New York Times.